Had he ever allowed himself to be the equal of what was required by the excess of literary talent that had been bestowed on him? Had he lived up to his own austere demands, which he set out so dogmatically, despite the lightness of expression, in the preface to Dorian Gray and “The Decay of Lying”? Certainly the plays are great, in their way—Salomé in particular shows him for the subversive artist he could have been, had he had the nerve for it—but somehow they are not quite enough, not quite the fulfilment of his genius. He had, throughout his life, talked away too much of his talent; as one observer put it, “He wasted himself in words.”
Month: February 2018
On the Deployment of Simile to Understand Good Marriages
Clothes stiffening into position overnight
on chairs or on the backs of chairs—
that is like a marriage too
and so is the rain crowding the window
so hard I can hardly see through…
Become Happier Today
Are you happy? How to be happy everyday?
This is a really subjective question when you think about it.
Happiness can’t really be measured easily through quantitative measures. Happiness is dependent on a lot of things, including your circumstances.
But one thing is for certain. You need to develop certain habits in order to become happier overall.
Factors Leading To Greater Happiness
Though happiness may be subjective and deeply personal, there is still a basic formula to it. Factors that affect our general happiness include economic, social, and the state of our health.
- Economic -Income, employment, career
- Social – Education, friends, family life, peer interaction
- Health – Mental, physical, access to healthcare
The Happiest Place Isn’t Where You Think
Contrary to popular belief, that amusement park with animals isn’t the happiest place on earth- for that you’d want to visit Norway.
Residing in a cold and often dark climate, Norwegians’ survival depends on strong community support and close communities. Norway is also one of the wealthiest countries on the planet and their economic and security benefits offer universal education and family allowance.
Apart from that, Norway also:
- Sees months with very little sunlight and the natural vitamins that boost the brain’s “happy” receptors
- Is the fourth wealthiest country in the world based on GDP per capita
- Offers free education in the university level for all citizens
America’s Happiness
The US comes in at #19 of 155 countries in terms of happiness, far behind Norway. From social unrest, healthcare concerns to education, the level of happiness Americans express is less than ideal.
The case of American happiness is a unique one and the following are cited as contributors to their decreased happiness:
- Perception of lowered personal freedoms, such as body pat downs and invasive government surveillance
- Income inequality issues and deteriorating educational systems
- Political unrest and a general frustration with current political climates
Though it’s clear Americans collectively have a lot on their mind, it isn’t all bad. In fact, the happiness level and optimism of Americans are rising.
- In 2017, 33% of Americans say they are happy (an increase from 31% in 2016)
- 86% of Americans say they have positive relationships with their family members
- 72% of Americans express they are optimistic about the future
Happy Habits Are The Key
When it comes to happiness there is a no one-size-fits-all solution. We all must approach happiness on our own terms. That said, there are steps that encourage happiness as a habit.
Here are some of them:
Practice gratitude: Psychology research shows that feelings of gratitude and thankfulness are associated with happiness.
Embrace and accept negative feelings: By acknowledging the full spectrum of our emotions, we can better appreciate the complexity of life.
Place a higher value on time than money: Prioritizing time is a behavior associated with greater happiness.
Practicing compassion and generosity with others: This will lead to more self-compassion and less negative self-talk
See Also: 8 Inspiring Habits of Happy People
Even physical effects can make us feel happy. Even just spending some time outdoors can do wonders for one’s mood and can even help establish happy habits.
- Serotonin is secreted when the eyes come into contact with sunlight.
- Vitamin D, produced when UV rays hit the skin, literally makes us feel happier.
- Simply forcing a smile can “trick” the brain into feeling happy.
Happy people do have some traits in common with one another.
Living in the moment: Happy people seek out new experiences, even if they may seem a little scary at first.
Goal-focused and big-picture oriented: Happy people don’t necessarily sweat the small stuff but still keep the endgame in sight.
Optimistic and idealistic: Instead of dwelling on the problems of the world, happy people tend to be more proactive.
How Can You Become Happier Today?
The happiest man in the world, Matthieu Ricard, meditates daily for at least 15 minutes on happy thoughts and compassion. Start this habit today and see how it can uplift your mood.
Learn more about the habits of the world’s happiest people from this infographic!
See Also: 5 Key Insights For A Happy Life From Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations
The post Become Happier Today appeared first on Dumb Little Man.
Happy 101st birthday, Denali National Park! Sitting at the…
Happy 101st birthday, Denali National Park!
Sitting at the foothills of the Alaska Range, Denali National Park is as wild and wonderful as it was when hunter and naturalist Charles Sheldon first visited the area more than a century ago. It was Sheldon’s drive and determination to protect this American treasure that led to the creation of Denali National Park and Preserve on February 26, 1917. Check out 9 interesting facts about this park: https://on.doi.gov/2EXi8Uz
Photo by Kent Miller, National Park Service.
The Seabird’s Cry: The Lives and Loves of the Planet’s Great Ocean Voyagers
I was going to the United Kingdom and expecting to do a couple of serious hikes that would deliver me by night to a town for food and a bed, and each morning let me loose into the wilds, wilds with nicely worn paths. My guide and companion was The National Trust Book of Long Walks, a volume that has both the specific gravity and value of gold, for its author, Adam Nicolson, gave me new eyes with which to see the countryside (and a new back and legs from lugging the guide’s tonnage).
Nicolson is an old-school geographer/naturalist, one who wants to know the big picture of a place: where it is relative to other places and its relation to them, sure, but also its flora, fauna, and folktales; its architecture and street plans; its political, cultural, and social history; its music, literature, and art; the evolution of its economy and class system; why its air and light are distinctive; why it grows rutabagas instead of turnips. He has brought this Panavision not only to places — the Somerset Levels, Windsor Castle, Britain’s untamed coastlines, his family’s storied gardens at Sissinghurst — but also people and events: the Battle of Trafalgar, the English gentry, the earls of Pembroke, the birth of Arcadianism, the making of the King James Bible. In The Seabird’s Cry, he brings that rangy curiosity to a dozen water-loving birds, providing the lenses with which to see them closely, though not so much that we pretend to know all their secrets. Each bird retains a dark side to its moon.
When he was a boy, in 1971, his father had some extra coin and bought a group of islands, called the Shiants, in the channel known as the Minch, running between the Isle of Lewis and far mainland Scotland. The Shiants are a gathering of small Hebridean islands and sea stacks, just what the doctor ordered for colonies of puffins, gannets, and other seabirds. It is not overmuch to say that the Shiants directed Nicolson’s life: his love of birds and the wild ocean, a fascination with the elements and with the old, elemental way of life in that part of the world. He let his wonderment blossom, not just to the seabirds on his little patch but to others that would take him throughout the world’s oceans: fulmars, kittiwakes, gulls and guillemots, cormorants and shags, shearwaters, gannets, albatross, razorbills — not to mention the extinct great auk.
Tales — stories, anecdotes, yarns — are an important part of this book, for this is a communing with these creatures as much as a marveling at how they live. He brings the outdoors to inside your head. As a youngster, on his first visit to the Shiants: “I had never seen this scale of things before: tall, cliffed, remote, fierce, beautiful, harsh and difficult but, for all that, dazzlingly and almost overwhelmingly thick with the swirl of existence, lichened, the rocks glowing saffron orange on that summer morning, the air and the sea around us filled with 300,000 birds, a pumping, raucous polymorphous multiversity in with everything was alive and nothing refined.” The Seabird’s Cry — “an exploration of the ways in which seabirds exert their hold on the human imagination” — seems to have been inevitable.
He devotes a chapter to each of the birds above, some delicate as china and some ruffians, all bewitching in some fashion — from the, let’s face it, adorable puffins to the real bullies on the block: the gannets, the chapter on which reads like something dreamed up by a feverish Edgar Allan Poe — and all brought close to the reader without losing its wildness.
“This is the first lesson of the seabirds . . . the revelation of the actual, the undressed and naked presence of hidden principle — in this case the profound rivalry between parent and child [here he is referring to “a gull Lear, a gull Pol Pot”] — which the Greeks could allow to surface only in myth and which in our culture is scarcely allowed a presence at all.” The seabird life is rough-and-tumble, with siblings shoving younger brothers and sisters out of the nest, gulls reaching across to munch on a neighbor’s babies. “The whole population of Nazca boobies were destined to suffer cruelty and abuse as nestlings until the end of time.”
But look over here, to this “army of town criers, every puffin dressed in a near-identical herald’s tabard, bright with maquillage and eyeliner, all saying Here I am, look at me . . . On landing, each puffin bows and humbles itself, wings up, head down: no threat, no aggression.” This little puffin has surfaced from a dive from 50 to 220 feet, between 600 and 1,500 times a day, to feed little puffins back at the nest. Then there are the guillemots — “from Gull Island east of Witless Bay in Newfoundland . . . and Funk Island out in the Atlantic” — that dive to 600 feet for their supper, staying underwater for four and a half minutes. (Ha! said the great auk. I could dive 2,000 feet and go breathless for twenty minutes. Alas.) Or the sooty shearwater that flies 40,000 round-trip miles each year in migration, or the extraordinary sense of smell the group of seabirds known as the tubenoses use for navigation (forget the stars; just give me that whiff of phytoplankton).
There is a beautiful image of puffins flying into a wind “almost at the same speed the wind is blowing them back, and they hang in front of you, 10 feet away, busy, looking resolutely forward and then sideways to see what you are.” So it is a stab to read that “over the past sixty years, the world population of seabirds has dropped by over two-thirds . . . The graph trends to zero by about 2060.” Why? Overfishing; caught in fishing gear; introducing rats (“albatross chicks on Gough Island in the South Atlantic are being eaten by giant mice”), cats, and dogs to breeding places; oil, plastic, and other toxins; human development of nesting sites; climate change; acidification. We have met the enemy and it is the usual cast of characters.
Still, seabirds are adaptable and resourceful, and humans could help by simply being bit more careful: protecting breeding places and winter feeding grounds, instituting tighter controls on long-line fishing vessels, and making efforts to avert the human impact of climate change and acidification. Why? Because seabirds are the rarest of creatures, the only animals at home in the sea, on the sea, in the air, and on land — perfectly adapted to flux and change. Given the ecological turmoil to come, we could do worse than emulate such mastery.
The post The Seabird’s Cry: The Lives and Loves of the Planet’s Great Ocean Voyagers appeared first on The Barnes & Noble Review.
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3 Important Factors to Consider for an Effective Business Analysis
The first time I thought about the success of various big organizations, I used to feel that their success was just a result of some huge luck. I also thought that the founder of those organizations had a lot of money in stock before they started their businesses.
I started studying what could have led to their huge success and how they were able to maintain their growth in today’s most challenging business era. This is when I realized the strategic utilization of business analysis.
“If you invest more in analyzing your business challenges today and identifying the most effective solution for future challenges, one day, you will not have to struggle, but will sit in one place and watch your hard work pay off.” -Chidiebere Moses Ogbodo
The reason I admire the job of business analysts is that those experts understood and learned from yesterday’s businesses and they apply tried and tested ideas with today’s trends. Isn’t that awesome?
I will explain the three factors of an effective business analysis, but before that let me share a story with you.
On a good Friday morning, I was walking down the street of Amagu Akegbe Ugwu. I met a good friend of mine who was running a supermarket.
You know how lucrative this business can be especially when it is in a target area and you are providing what the people need and with good discount rates.
I asked him how his business was going and he replied that it’s not so good. He has invested a huge amount of money and hardly gained a good return on his investment.
I thought for a while and asked again if he had the time to think of what could be the reason for such challenges. He responded that he was not having enough time.
As a businessman, his schedule is very tight.
Now, you see the problem?
If you must succeed in your business, you must first plan, prepare, and wait for the opportunity to strike hard. If you are keen on identifying people’s problems and solving them, then you’re good to go in your business.
A good example is Facebook.
Why do I say so?
This organization dedicates time to listen to its customers. Whatever they may be complaining about, the business will work hard to resolve it soon. It also implements one or two new things to keep users interested and engaged.
The 3 Factors to Consider in your Business Analysis Quest
• Customer Satisfaction
Your customer should be the main focus of your business.
If you have a product and there is no one to pay for it, then it will be just a waste.
If there is one thing you need to consider this year, it’s to analyze the concern of each customer you have. Provide them with the most suitable solutions.
If a customer realizes that you are giving him/her personalized attention, he/she will always come back for your services. Everybody needs caring and people will go to where more of it is coming.
• Employee Growth
The happier your employees are, the more motivated they’ll be in working towards your organization’s goals.
An effective leader identifies the individuality of their employees, listens to their problems, and responds to them promptly.
Business analysis involves the process of engaging your employees to express themselves at every level in the organization. When employees understand that their employer knows them by their individual names and specific features, they will never think of leaving the organization. This is a very good trait of an innovative company.
See Also: What Can Employers Do For Employee Appreciation Day?
• Organizational Innovation
The environmental changes, industrial growth, and important trends that relate to your organization must be identified and properly integrated.
An organization that is fast in implementing or incorporating the latest trends in the industry carries the highest chance of succeeding.
So, extend your business analysis to adequately address the industry trends. There should always be continuity and a clear path towards your organizational goals.
To achieve that, you need to identify what’s working and what’s not. Once you have identified what’s working, fortify it with more investments.
If I was the Business Analyst in Your Organization
- I will ensure that there is a timely and result-oriented identification of solutions to the challenges that the organization may face.
- I will try to know what concerns my customers and provide solutions even before they ask for it.
- To steer the business towards a brighter path, I will lead the teams with industry-proven strategies.
- I will give my best to gain the most commendable result so that the business will stand out.
See Also: Why Strategy Is Important In Business
The post 3 Important Factors to Consider for an Effective Business Analysis appeared first on Dumb Little Man.
Imagining Violence: ‘The Power’ of Feminist Fantasy
In one of her most quoted lines, Margaret Atwood quipped, “Men are afraid women will laugh at them. Women are afraid men will kill them.” Her protégé Alderman takes this epigram seriously, to show readers how women’s lives would be different if they were not afraid. Yet she also forcefully dramatizes the futility of violence, and its inevitable escalation ending in Armageddon. So why this fantasy now? Alderman is reflecting and channeling the anger of a young generation of feminists who will not forgive, excuse, cover up, and accept male abuse.
Greed is based on the narrow view that others shouldn’t have what you have, but you should have what they have.
The Ultimate Meditation Guide
You’re reading The Ultimate Meditation Guide, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
Meditation was for many years perceived by Western cultures as “mystic mumbo jumbo” from the Orient. In fact, it’s only in the last 10 to 20 years that meditation has become a common practice in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and even parts of Europe. However, it has been practiced by the Chinese, Indians, Japanese, and other Asian cultures for thousands of years.
The benefits of meditation are undeniable:
- It improves your immune system, decreases cellular inflammation, and decreases pain.
- It reduces your risk of anxiety, depression, stress, and improves positive emotions.
- It makes you feel less lonely, increases your compassion, and promotes social connectivity and engagement.
- It improves self-control, willpower, and discipline.
- It enhances your emotion control and your ability to introspect.
- It increases your brain’s grey matter, cortical thickness, and volume in the parts of the brain that regulate emotion.
- It enhances focus, attention, memory, concentration, and multi-tasking ability.
- It improves problem-solving skills, makes you more creative, and helps you think outside the box.
The truth is that there are DOZENS of different benefits you can obtain through daily practice. But don’t think that it is something you have to practice for hours every day. Meditation techniques can last for seconds, minutes, or hours. Each person’s practice is unique and tailored to them.
Below, we’ve got your complete guide to meditation for beginners. We’ll answer questions like “what is meditation”, show you how to meditate, teach you a few meditation techniques, share meditation tips and tricks, and even get into the various types of meditation you can try. By the end of this article, you’ll be ready to give meditation a try for yourself!
What is Meditation?
There are so many definitions of the word “meditation”. Let’s take a look at a few of the more common ones:
“Meditation is a practice where an individual trains the mind or induces a mode of consciousness, either to realize some benefit or for the mind to simply acknowledge its content without becoming identified with that content, or as an end in itself.” – Wikipedia
“Meditation is a means of transforming the mind…techniques that encourage and develop concentration, clarity, emotional positivity, and a calm seeing of the true nature of things.” – The Buddhist Centre
“Meditation means ‘a cessation of the thought process’ . It describes a state of consciousness, when the mind is free of scattered thoughts and various patterns.” – Health and Yoga
“Meditation is a precise technique for resting the mind and attaining a state of consciousness that is totally different from the normal waking state.” – Yoga International
A lot of different definitions, but they all point to the same fact: meditation is a way to improve the mind, enhance consciousness, and transform the mind.
The Many Types of Meditation
Meditation is present in ancient cultures, and it is an integral part of Buddhism, Yoga, Hinduism, and Chinese culture. There are many types of meditation you can practice, each with their own unique elements and focus. Below, we’ll take a look at a few of the more common ones:
Buddhist Meditation
Zen meditation, also known as “zazen”, is an integral part of Japanese Zen Buddhism. It originated in India, but became a common practice in the Japanese culture.
“Zazen” means “seated meditation”, and is practiced in a seated position. Practitioners sit either on the floor (in the half-lotus or lotus position) or in a comfortable chair. The posture is important: sit straight, keep your head up, close your mouth, and keep your eyes lowered.
There are two ways to practice this type of meditation:
- Shikantaza – This is also known as “just sitting”, and is a meditative practice of remaining in the present while observing objects around you. You observe your thoughts and emotions as well, without dwelling on anything specific.
- Focusing on Breath – This is a practice of focusing on breathing patterns, using a sequence of breaths and counting inhalations and exhalations. Counting helps to keep you focused on the practice and reduces distractions.
Vipassana Meditation
Vipassana Meditation is another form of Buddhist meditation popular in India. Its focus is on the mind-body connection, paying attention to the physical sensations running through your body. It’s another observation-based form of meditation, a mindfulness meditation (which is used by holistic healers for mindfulness based stress reduction therapy).
Loving Kindness Meditation
Metta bhavana, also known as “compassion meditation” or “loving Kindness meditation”, is another form of Buddhist meditation commonly practiced in India. Metta meditation uses mental repetition of phrases like “May I be happy” and “May I be healthy and strong” to develop compassion and improve mood. The practice starts with directing these phrases at oneself, then moving on to others (family, friends, “neutral” people, difficult people) and eventually to the world/universe at large.
Hindu Meditation
When we think of Hindu meditation, most of us immediately picture Mantra meditation (or “Om meditation”). The repetition of mantras or the chanting of “Oms” is a common practice in Hindu meditative practice.
The repetition of the mantra is intended to deepen awareness, disconnecting you from your thoughts and putting you into a sort of meditative trance/relaxed state.
Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation is a sub-type of mantra meditation. It’s practiced for 15-20 minutes per day, and the mantras repeated are Tantric names of the Hindu gods. It’s a more “mystical” type of meditative practice, one with deep roots in the Hindu religion.
Yoga Meditation
Every type of Yoga practiced involves some form of meditation (usually paired with the Pranayama breathing techniques), but there are a few types of Yoga that place greater emphasis on meditation. Some of the Yoga-specific meditative practices include:
- Kundalini Meditation – This type of meditation is based around the belief that the “kundalini energy core” is located in the base of the spine. The asanas (physical poses) of Kundalini Yoga practice are intended to tap into this energy.
- Gazing Meditation – This is often included at the end of a Yoga session. The practitioner sits in a comfortable position and fixes their gaze on a specific object—usually a candle. The eyes remain open as the practitioner focuses their gaze on that object. Even when their eyes close, the object must remain fixed in their mind’s eye. It’s a practice intended to develop focus and block out the world.
- Chakra Meditation – Hinduism teaches that there are 7 chakras, or “energy centers”, in the body: root chakra, sacral chakra, solar plexus chakra, heart chakra, throat chakra, third eye chakra, and crown chakra. The meditative practices are intended to activate the chakras and release the energy. This type of meditation is often practiced after a Yoga session, and involves chanting mantras for each chakra.
- Third Eye Meditation – This type of meditation focuses on the “third eye”, or ajna chakra, the spot between your eyebrows that has traditionally been considered the “eye into the spiritual”. It’s a form of mindfulness meditation that involves repeating mantras, and it can be practiced with eyes open or closed.
- Sound Meditation – Also known as “Nada Yoga”, sound meditation is a type of meditative practice that uses external sounds (soothing music, sounds of nature, etc.) to draw the attention of the practitioners. By focusing on external sounds, it’s believed to enable the hearing of “inner sounds” in the body. The goal is to hear a sound without vibration, the “Ultimate Sound”, the OM.
- Kriya Yoga – This is a set of breathing, meditation, and energization exercises intended as a devotional practice, for those who want to explore the spiritual aspects of Yoga and meditation.
Tantra Meditation
Tantra meditation is often erroneously equated with sex, but it is actually a series of meditative exercises that merge the mind with the senses, exist in the present moment, and concentrate on specific objects. There are over 100 different types of Tantra meditation, none of which involve ritualized sex.
Pranayama Meditation
Pranyama meditation is a type of Hindu meditation that focuses on regulating breathing patterns. It’s less a form of ritualized meditation than it is basic mindfulness practice. The simple breathing patterns (counting each inhalation and exhalation) helps to focus the mind inward, balances the mood, and calms the body down. It’s an integral part of all Yoga practices.
Chinese Meditation
Meditation has been an integral part of Chinese culture for well over 1,000 years. Daoism was influenced by Buddhist meditative practices, and includes techniques that focuses on circulating, generating, transforming, and accessing the “qi” or “chi”—the body’s internal energy.
Emptiness Meditation – This practice involves sitting quietly and emptying your mind of all images in order to “forget everything”. This is done with the goal of experiencing inner peace and quietude.
Neiguan – Also known as “inner observation”, this is a form of mindfulness meditation that involves visualization of the body, mind, organs, inner movements, and thought processes. It’s intended to “acquaint you with your body”.
Breathing Meditation – This is similar to Hindu Pranayama meditation. The practice uses either mindfulness techniques or breathing patterns to “focus the vital breath”.
The meditation posture for most Chinese meditation practices are the same as Buddhist meditation postures: sitting on the floor or in a chair, with your spine erect and eyes closed.
Qigong
Qigong, also known as “chi kung”, “chi gong”, or “qi gong” is the Chinese word for “life energy cultivation”. It’s a type of mind-body practice included in martial arts training and meditative practices.
It typically includes:
- Slow body movement (like Tai Chi)
- Regulated breathing
- Inner focus
It uses many Daoist meditative techniques, focusing on the “qi” or “chi” in the body. There are thousands of Qigong exercises and more than 80 different breathing techniques. Some are used only for martial arts, while others are used for meditation healing or spiritual cultivation.
Modern Guided Meditation
Guided meditation is a much more modern form of meditation, one intended for a busier life. It uses auditory stimulus (sounds of nature, binaural beats or binaural music, or even spoken instructions) to “guide” the practitioner through meditative techniques.
Traditional Meditations – These are audio recordings with a teacher or instructor to guide you through to a meditative state. The exercises are often rooted in Buddhist or Hindu techniques.
Yoga Nidra – This is a series of exercises using Yoga meditative techniques to help you fall asleep at night. For those with insomnia, this type of sleep meditation can be an excellent option.
Guided Imagery – Guided imagery uses “focus meditation” to help you imagine or visualize objects or guide you through a mental journey. It’s usually used for relaxation purposes, but it can often be a way to promote emotional and mental healing.
Binaural Beats — Binaural beats have been in practice since the 1840s, using signals of two different frequencies (alpha waves and beta waves) to initiate a meditative state. The binaural music uses that brainwave differences to promote easier meditation.
Affirmations – Affirmations are intended to imprint a positive message in your mind. They’re usually paired with guided imagery and other relaxation techniques.
Relaxations/Body Scans – These help to relax your body, bringing calmness and peace. They’re ideal for those with insomnia or pain, as they can reduce pain and discomfort and promote sleepiness.
Wow, that’s A LOT of different types of meditation!
The truth is that meditation comes in many shapes and forms, and each has its own benefits. It’s worth researching more into each type to see which one suits your personality, lifestyle, and practice habits best.
How to Meditate
If only it was as easy as a 3-step guide to meditation!
The truth is that everyone has to find their own way to meditate. They have to find the type of meditative practice and techniques that work for them. That means experimenting with the different meditation techniques and types listed above. There is no “one size fits all” approach to meditation.
One explanation that many people find helpful comes from the Brahma Kumaris Centre. Basically, it divides meditation into five steps:
Step 1: Relaxation – You have to start off by relaxing your body and mind. This helps to eliminate stress and gets you in the frame of mind to meditate.
Step 2: Concentration – Once you’re relaxed, concentration will help you go deeper into your mind and body. You can focus on your thoughts, feelings, emotions, the sensations of your body, your breathing, or the mantra you’re chanting.
Step 3: Contemplation – As you go deeper, you are able to contemplate your inner world, your values, your desires, and more. It’s a study of the subconscious without coming out of the meditative state.
Step 4: Realization – When you understand the way you feel, you experience a deeper reality, one with greater meaning.
Step 5: Meditation –The final step is the awakening of the inner you, putting you in a sense of well-being, peace, and happiness.
Not all meditative practices follow this process, but it gives an interesting insight into how meditation slowly pulls you deep until you reach that “inner being”.
Meditation for Beginners
You don’t have to sign up for classes or take a spiritual journey to India or China. You can practice some basics techniques without leaving your house or even standing up from your chair.
Mindfulness Meditation
To begin, get in a comfortable position. Sit or lie down, and make sure your head, neck, back, and knees are all properly aligned.
Close your eyes and take deep breaths. Count to four for the inhalation, and again to four to exhale. Continue this breathing pattern.
As you breathe in and out, pay attention to the sensations of your body. Feel your ribs expanding your chest rising, and the rush of blood that follows each inhalation. Let the sensations fill your thoughts.
Do this for 3-5 minutes, then open your eyes. You’ve just meditated!
Gazing Meditation
Light a candle and set it in the desk in front of you. Sit in your chair in a comfortable position.
Focus your eyes on the candle, and watch the dancing, moving light. Resist the temptation to look anywhere else.
Control your breathing, counting to four with each inhalation and exhalation. After a minute, you’ll settle into a rhythm and won’t need to keep counting.
If any thoughts pop into your head, feed them to the flame. Use the candle flame to keep your mind clear.
Stare at the candle for 3-5 minutes, or as long as you want to complete the meditation.
These are just two basic meditations to try, but there are SO MANY more. You can find amazing resources online, or you can attend your nearest meditation center or Yoga studio to learn more about the various types of meditation. The more you learn, the easier it will be to find a type of that works for you.
Meditation Tips
If you want to make your meditation as relaxing and effective as possible, here are a few tips to help you do it right:
- Do it at the right time of day. Perhaps it’s easier to meditate first thing in the morning or last thing before bed. Some people prefer to meditate in the middle of a busy day when they need to clear their minds of stress. Find the time of day that works best for you, and stick with that time every day. Repetition is the key to more effective meditation.
- Start small. Very few people can meditate for hours on their first try. Most will be able to sit for a few minutes at first, and slowly increase their meditation time as they practice. Start with just 5-10 minutes per day. Don’t stress if you can’t meditate for longer. It will come with time.
- Don’t stress about it. Stop worrying about “how” to meditate, but just start doing it. If thoughts pop into your mind, don’t worry about keeping your mind totally clear. Just keep being in the moment and allowing your mind and body to relax and simply “be”. Worry makes it much harder to meditate.
- Get to know yourself. Find out when you get the best meditation times, what type of meditation works best, and how you’re most comfortable. Meditation is meant to give you a deeper understanding of both your mind and body.
- Wear comfortable clothes. You should try to wear clothing that is loose, flowing, and comfortable. If it’s cold out, bundle up so you’re warm. In the summer heat, wear clothes that keep you cool.
- Choose the right surroundings. You need to find a place to meditate that is quiet and free of distractions. Smells can enhance or detract from the meditation, so you may want to light a candle or incense to block outside scents. If light draws your attention, try meditating in a dark room. Choose the surroundings that help to bring peace to your mind and body.
- Do it every day. Practice doesn’t make perfect, but it will make “permanent”. Your mind is a muscle, one that grows stronger with practice. The more you meditate, the easier it will become. You’ll find that daily practice allows you to clear your mind and focus on your inner being with less effort over time.
The beauty of meditation is that there isn’t just “one path to inner peace”. As you’ve seen above, there are dozens of ways for you to relax, clear your mind, and get in touch with your inner being. The benefits of meditation are undeniable, so it’s worth a try if you want to improve your mind and body. The more you try, the more you will understand the meditation techniques that work best for you.
Jessica is blogging over at Her Infinity, their goal is to provide authentic, smart and meaningful content. With a wide span of categories they are covering health, wellness, career, nutrition and more. They encourage everyone to shine and spread positivity into the world.
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